Forever and Always
by mysticgirl916
Summary: Will and Emma prepare for their wedding while helping the glee club get ready for nationals. Everything has been leading up to this as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives. Sequel to "A Moment In Time"
1. I'll Be There

_You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of_

_William Schuester_

_&_

_ Emma Pillsbury_

_Saturday, May 22  
Disney Grand Floridian Resort  
Orlando, Florida_

* * *

It seemed like a dream come true for Emma. For the past several months, she and Will had been planning their wedding, right down to the last detail. They had decided on Orlando because the McKinley High glee club had just won the Ohio state championship and would be competing at nationals for the first time since Will's team won in Branson, Missouri in 1993. Nationals would be held in Orlando, and both herself and Will wanted to be there for the kids – and in turn they wanted the kids to be there for them as they prepared to take the next step in their lives.

She remembered the first time he had met her, he had been teaching for two years and she was introduced as the new guidance counselor during a faculty meeting. She remembered the time she stepped in a wad of gum one day in the school courtyard and he scraped it off her shoe with one of his credit cards. Most of all, she would never forget standing at the end of a hallway near the window and how it felt when he took her in his arms and kissed her. Ever since Will took over Glee, she had grown very close to him, they had been through a lot together in the past year and a half. And it was about to culminate in the wedding she always dreamed of, with the man that she had always loved.

"Hey Em," said Will as he poked his head through the doorway of her office, smiling at his fiancée. "Glee practice is starting shortly, and I thought you might like to come see what the kids have been doing."

"I'd love to come," Emma replied. She pushed aside some paperwork she had been working on, rubbed some sanitizer into her hands and got up from her desk. She held on to Will's hand tightly as the two of them walked out of the guidance wing and into the empty hallways of the school towards the glee room.

* * *

"Hey, here comes the happy couple!" Mercedes exclaimed as the glee kids watched Will and Emma enter the room together. They were happy for their coach and their de-factor "mother of the Gleeks" that they were getting married the same week as nationals. The entire room burst into applause. Emma sat in a chair as Will tossed his bag on top of the piano and pulled out a stack of sheet music, in turn handing it to the kids.

"Okay guys, we have a lot of work to do today," he said. "Nationals are coming up in a couple of months and I want us to be as ready as ever. I want to try this song with you, I think it might go over well with the judges at nationals if we add it to our set list."

"Great song choice, Mr. Schu," Finn said as he looked at the title – Will had chosen "One" by U2, and had arranged it for three leads.

"Thanks," said Will, "it's a song I always liked. As you can see, guys, I arranged it so it could work with a trio of leads. I'd like to try Mercedes, Finn and Rachel on this." The three got into position at the front of the group. They were about to start when Emma cleared her throat.

"Could I say something to the kids?" she asked.

"Fire away, Miss Pillsbury," Artie replied. Will nodded in agreement, and Emma began to speak again.

"As you may know, Mr. Schuester and I have been planning our wedding for some time," she said. "We planned it for the same time as nationals because I knew that we could be there for each other."

"What Miss Pillsbury is trying to say," Will continued, "is that we would like you to be part of the wedding in some way."

"How can we help?" asked Rachel.

"I have picked three of you to be in my bridal party," Emma said, "my sister Melanie is going to be my maid of honor. Quinn, Rachel, Santana – I have chosen you three."

"Thank you, Miss P," said Quinn, "we won't let you down."

"Finn, I'd like you to be my best man," Will said, "mainly because of the fact that you were the first football player to join glee and I respect you greatly for that. Artie, Kurt – I would also like to have you in my party, a friend of mine from college will be the fourth man."

"We'd be honored, Mr. Schu," Finn said. Artie and Kurt nodded in agreement.

"So now that we've got all that settled, let's practice that song," Will said. The music started, and the group started to get into the song. He stood by Emma as they watched the kids perform.

"I think you made a good choice for your best man," Emma said quietly. "Finn really looks up to you."

"You made a good choice in picking Quinn for a bridesmaid," Will replied. "I really respect the way you've helped her through her situation. It's like you're a big sister to her."

"To think we have Glee to thank for bringing us together," Emma added. Will nodded in agreement. Glee had meant so much to both of them.


	2. We Are Family

"There's my kid sister!" an excited voice cried out. Melanie Pillsbury-McRae rushed out into the arrivals area of the airport where Emma was standing and hugged her tightly. Right behind her were Emma's parents Ed and Susan and her brother Ryan. They had flown out together all the way from Virginia to surprise her.

"I can't believe you're all here," Emma said as she hugged each of her parents and waved to her brother – not forgetting what he did to her as a little girl. "I missed you all so much."

"Well, it's not every day that our baby girl is about to become a bride," her mother said, looking at the engagement ring on her daughter's finger. "Tell us, who is the lucky man?"

"His name is Will," Emma replied with a smile, "we work at the high school together. Which reminds me, we're all invited to his apartment for dinner – I told him you were all in town, and he wanted to cook a special pasta dinner for you. His parents are also coming over so you can meet them too."

"Sounds great," said Melanie, loading her bags onto a cart Ryan was pushing. "He must be a good cook to want to make a special dinner for us."

"He is a great cook," Emma said. "We'd better get going or we'll be late." Her father came back from the car hire with the rental keys, and the family walked out of the terminal to the airport parking garage.

* * *

The drive back to Lima seemed to pass by in a blur, Ed, Susan and Ryan followed Emma and Melanie close behind so they wouldn't lose them. Once back in town, Emma's car turned into a modern apartment complex and pulled into an empty spot in the visitor's parking lot. Following right behind, Ed pulled the rental car into a spot several spaces down from Emma's car.

"This is Will's apartment building," Emma said as she and her family walked towards the main entrance. "I think he's expecting us now." Melanie held the door for everyone else, and Emma pushed the button next to the nameplate marked 604 – SCHUESTER on the building directory.

"Emma, is that you?" Will's voice called over the intercom.

"Yes," Emma said back, "and I've brought my family with me."

"Great, come on up," came Will's voice again, and the entrance door unlocked and opened automatically. Emma and her family walked toward the bank of elevators, Ryan pushed the up button and the doors opened. They then rode up to the sixth floor, finally standing outside of apartment 604. Emma knocked on the door.

"Em, you made it," said Will with a smile as he opened the door. "Please, come in and make yourself comfortable." Emma and her family walked inside and he took their coats. Sitting on the black leather sofa in the living room was an older couple, they smiled at the newcomers as they sat down on chairs or on the floor. The smell of pasta sauce emanated from the kitchen.

"Mom, Dad, this is my fiancé, Will Schuester," Emma said. "Will, these are my parents, Ed and Susan Pillsbury, my sister Melanie McRae, and my brother Ryan." Smiling, Will shook the hands of Emma's parents and siblings.

"So you're the one Emma keeps telling us about," said Emma's mother. "My my, aren't you a handsome one." Emma giggled with delight.

"Thank you, I'm flattered," said Will, slightly blushing. Turning towards his own parents, he introduced them.

"These are my parents, Don and Linda Schuester," he said. "Mom, Dad, this is my fiancée, Emma Pillsbury." Will's parents got up and embraced Emma.

"It's so nice to meet you Emma," said Will's father, "Will has told us a lot about you. It is going to be an honor to have you as part of our family." Emma couldn't help but notice that the elder Mr. Schuester had the same kind demeanor as his son, which put her at ease. The families made small talk as Will went to check on dinner.

"So Don, what is that you do?" Emma's dad asked.

"I'm a lawyer, working at a small firm here in Lima," Will's dad replied. "I worked in insurance for a while, but it was actually my son who inspired me to go back to law school."

"Interesting," Melanie said. "I work as a hairdresser in downtown Richmond, I'm married to my husband David and we have two beautiful children, Rebecca and Ethan. You'll meet them at the wedding." Ryan talked about his job as a DJ at a Richmond radio station, and Susan and Linda both talked about their jobs as well. Finally, Will stuck his head out of the kitchen.

"Dinner's ready!" he called.

* * *

"That was amazing," Emma said as she dabbed at her lips with a napkin. Dinner was a huge success, and now Will was in the process of serving coffee and tea. Both families were getting along well, which pleased both him and Emma.

"So Will," said Ed, "Emma tells me that you run the glee club at your high school. Your students must be really good."

"They are," Will replied. "There are twelve students in the club at present, and we are in the process of preparing for the national show choir championships in Orlando. Emma and I planned our wedding around the event so we could be there for the kids and vice versa."

"That's great to hear," Susan said. "It shows that you really care about the kids you teach."

"That's not the half of it," Emma added. "Will is very talented himself, when he was a student at McKinley High he was in the glee club and they won nationals in 1993. He's a very good singer and dancer, he's also an excellent musician."

"I couldn't help but notice you had a digital piano in your living room, Will," said Melanie. "Would you mind if you played us something? Emma keeps talking about how talented you are."

"Not at all," Will replied, "I'd be happy to." The group followed him back to the living room with their teacups and coffee mugs, sitting wherever they could find space. Will sat down at the piano, thought of a song, and began to play. His voice joined in soon after.

"You were right about him, Emma," her mother said softly as she listened to him sing, "he's perfect for you. Don't ever let him go."


	3. The Perfect Dress

"Hey Miss P, you ready to go?" Mercedes asked. Will had cut glee practice short so he could do a conference call with the heads of the Ohio state show choir board to discuss the nationals, so the girls had arranged to go help Emma pick out a wedding dress. Kurt had also insisted on coming along because he believed his fashion instincts could come in handy.

"I'll be right there," Emma replied, finishing up her paperwork. She left her office to meet Mercedes in the hallway and together they walked through the corridors and outside to the student parking lot where Kurt and the other girls were waiting outside Kurt's SUV. Kurt helped Emma into the passenger seat and the other girls piled into the other seats behind her. He hopped into the driver's seat, revved up the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, driving towards downtown Lima.

"Is there a specific dress you're looking for, Miss Pillsbury?" inquired Santana.

"I haven't really thought of it yet," Emma confessed. "Nor have I thought about bridesmaids' dresses. I had no idea planning a wedding was so much work."

"Don't worry about the bridesmaid dresses," Mercedes said, "I'll design them for you. A friend of my mom is a seamstress, so she'll put them together."

"You don't mind doing this, Mercedes?" Emma asked.

"Not at all, Miss P," Mercedes replied. "I'll show you some sketches I've been working on later. Consider it a wedding present from me."

"With our help, you'll find the perfect dress," said Tina, "we won't have time to go hunting in Orlando because of nationals and all that." Finally Kurt pulled into a parking space outside the bridal shop.

"Everyone out," he called.

* * *

The eight were checking out dresses once inside the shop. Emma was standing with Kurt as she looked at a few herself. He studied her from all angles.

"What you should be looking for," he advised, "is something simple and not too over the top. You have a very nice frame and something flowing would work best on you."

"And it should be easy to dance in," suggested Quinn, walking over.

"Can I help you?" a saleswoman named Alicia asked.

"Yes, this young lady is searching for a wedding dress," Kurt said, indicating Emma. "She doesn't know exactly what she's looking for, so my friends and I are here to help her out."

"Come with me, dear," Alicia said to Emma, and she led her to a mirror near the fitting room. She took her measurements just as Brittany called from across the room.

"I think I found something!" Alicia sent another saleswoman over to Brittany's side and took a dress off the rack. She brought it over to Emma, Kurt studied it closely.

"I think this could work," he said finally, "you should try it on." Emma took the dress from the saleswoman who was holding it along with a box containing a pair of shoes and went into the fitting room to change.

* * *

The rest of the girls joined Kurt and the two salesladies at the entranceway to the fitting room just as Emma stepped out in the dress Brittany found. It was a fluid, strapless column of white satin that bared her shoulders and collarbones beautifully. The bodice was sewn with intricate beading, the dress itself tapered in at Emma's waist and flared out into a flowing skirt. A yellow sash was tied around her waist with trails that dropped down to the hem of the skirt, and she wore white satin high-heeled shoes.

"Oh, Miss Pillsbury, you look beautiful," said Rachel with a sigh.

"Dang girl, that dress is the bomb," said Mercedes.

"It's like you stepped out of a fairytale," said Quinn.

"And it fits you perfectly," added Alicia. She had Emma turn around so everyone could view the dress from all angles. All the girls sighed in unison. Kurt's face broke into a wide smile as he looked at Brittany appreciatively.

"I don't know what drew you to that dress, Brittany," he said, "but our bride-to-be looks like a princess in it."

"I guess it was just an intuition, whatever that is," Brittany replied.

"I'll take it," Emma said. "I think this dress is the one."

"Wonderful," said Alicia. "Just go back to the fitting room and I'll have Melissa take it to the register for you." Emma obeyed, and the saleswoman named Melissa went in after her. Minutes later, Melissa emerged with the dress, now carefully wrapped in plastic, and the shoe box, and took it over to the register where Alicia now stood. Emma emerged right after, back in her own clothes. She went to the register, Kurt and the girls following close behind.

"So, when is the big day?" Alicia asked as she entered the prices into the register.

"May 22, my fiancé and I are getting married in Orlando at the Grand Floridian Resort," replied Emma. "He's a co-worker of mine at McKinley High."

"They are so totally in love with each other," added Tina.

"I'm so happy to hear that," Alicia said. She told Emma the total of her purchase, and Emma in turn reached into her purse, got out her wallet and pulled out a credit card with a plastic-gloved hand. Alicia accepted it and swiped it through the register.

"Lucky for me I had enough saved up to buy the dress," Emma said, a relieved look on her face as she received her credit card back and signed the receipt.

"Now all we have to do is find you some jewelry," said Santana. "I know some good places, perhaps I can help you pick some out."

"That's most kind of you, Santana," Emma said kindly. The dress and the shoebox were handed over the counter to her, who then passed the wrapped dress to Kurt and the shoebox to Rachel.

"There you are," said Alicia, "and good luck with your wedding. I hope it's a success."

"Believe me, it will," Emma replied. "And thank you." She and the others left the shop and gently placed her purchases in the back of Kurt's SUV. Everyone piled into the vehicle for the ride back to McKinley High.

"Mercedes, could I see those sketches now?" Emma asked. With a nod, Mercedes opened her bag and pulled out a sketchbook, passing it to the passenger seat. She had been working on designs for bridesmaid dresses for the last few days until she came up with one that she liked. The first page of the book was the finished design – a simple yet flirty strapless tea-length dress that ended just above the knee with a wide sash around the waist tied at the side.

"I was thinking of pale yellow chiffon for the dress and periwinkle satin for the sash, since Mr. Schu told me those were your favorite colors," said Mercedes. "What do you think?"

"I love it," Emma said. Mercedes beamed.

"Thanks, Miss P."


	4. Last Rehearsal

In the days and weeks that followed, Will and Emma finalized the plans for the wedding. They decided on what to serve at the reception dinner, picked out a cake design, made floral arrangements, booked a DJ and also decided on what to give their bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bridesmaid dresses Mercedes had designed were completed, and she had invited Rachel, Quinn, Santana and Melanie over to her house to try them on to see if they fit all right. Santana had also taken Emma jewelry shopping and found a gorgeous ensemble to go with her wedding gown. And Will along with Finn, Artie and Kurt as well as Will's college friend Dan, had picked up their tuxedos and accessories.

"Em, there's nobody I'd rather spend the remainder of my life with than you," Will said softly as he held her tight. "You're sweet, kind, caring – everything that I could ever ask for."

"I feel the same way about you," Emma replied. "You were the one who reached out to me and truly accepted me for the person I am. Just think, in a week and a half we're going to be together forever."

"We already are," said Will, and he gave her a sweet kiss.

"Oh Will," Emma sighed.

"Tomorrow is our last big glee rehearsal before we take off for Orlando," Will said, "I'm really excited. We have an amazing set list and the kids are pumped. I want you to be there with me, Em."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said happily.

* * *

"All right guys, this is it – our last rehearsal before we travel to nationals," Will said to the glee kids who, along with Emma and Principal Figgins, had gathered in the auditorium the next day. The kids all cheered, they had been preparing for weeks and it all led up to this final rehearsal. They listened as Will gave more information about what was to come.

"The Ohio show choir board is covering all our expenses since we are the state representatives – airfare, accommodations, transportation, you name it," said Will. "I want all of you to be at the front entrance of the school by 8am tomorrow, that's when the bus will arrive to take us to Dayton where we'll board our flight to Orlando, which is scheduled to leave at 11:30am – I have all your tickets, please also remember to bring some kind of photo identification for security purposes. You are allowed two suitcases, a garment bag for your performance outfits, and one carry-on bag according to what I received from the airline. Your families are paying their own way to come see you."

"What about accommodations?" Artie asked.

"We've been booked at the Pop Century Resort within the Walt Disney World proper, along with 4 other glee clubs," Will said. "We have 7 rooms including one wheelchair-access room for Artie – 2 people to a room. As you are all minors, Miss Pillsbury and I will be conducting nightly curfew checks which will be set when we arrive. Room assignments will be drawn at random. After the competition wraps up, we move to rooms at the Grand Floridian Resort so you can attend the wedding. Any questions?"

"Nope," said Finn, "I am totally pumped up about nationals, and I know the rest of us are too." All the other glee kids nodded and cheered in agreement.

"I also have information on how nationals is being run," Will went on. "Due to all fifty states being represented, the competition is broken up into six days. The first five days are reserved for preliminary competition in which ten groups each day will perform, the groups for each day of preliminaries are chosen at random. On the final day of the preliminaries, the groups with the ten highest scores will compete one last time in the grand final the following day, which will take place at Disney World in the Magic Kingdom. From those ten, the national champions will be decided. Now, shall we get rehearsal under way?"

"Yeah, let's get this party started!" exclaimed Mike.

"Right on, Mike," Will said with a huge smile. "Let's do it!"

* * *

As the glee club ran through their set for nationals, the three adults watched with pride, Will and Emma holding hands. Figgins caught a glance at them and leaned over in his seat.

"Schu, Emma, let me just say that I'm happy for both of you," he said. "I'm looking forward to the wedding." The principal would be traveling to Orlando representing the McKinley faculty.

"Thank you sir, we appreciate it greatly," Emma replied softly.

"And look at the glow on those kids' faces," the principal added as he continued to watch the glee club perform, "I know they're going to make McKinley High proud. You've done a fantastic job with them, Will, I'm very proud."

"Like the song says, we've come so far but we've got so far to go," said Will. "We're actually doing that song for our big finale – I assigned Rachel, Finn, Puck and Quinn the leads." The glee kids were performing the number as he spoke, executing the choreography he developed with Brittany, Santana, Matt and Mike flawlessly. When the song finished and the group hit their final pose, Will, Emma and Figgins rose to their feet and applauded wildly.

* * *

"Guys, that was the best rehearsal we ever had," Will said as he and Emma joined the kids on stage. "You don't know how proud I am of all of you, and I know you're going to wow them at nationals."

"Well, we couldn't have done it without you, Mr. Schu," said Finn. "You believed in us, you took bullets for us, and you saw in us talent that nobody else did."

"Finn is right," added Artie, "just imagine what would have become of us if you hadn't taken over glee club. We wouldn't be the close-knit group of friends that we are now."

"Mr. Schu, you are the true heart and soul of glee," said Rachel, "and we wouldn't have it any other way." The other kids echoed the sentiments of her, Finn and Artie by applauding their teacher in appreciation of all he had done for them.

"Thanks guys," said Will, obviously touched. "Now go home, pack your bags and get a good night's sleep, because tomorrow starts the biggest week of our lives. I'll see you guys in front of the school tomorrow morning." The kids walked off the stage and out of the auditorium chatting together, leaving Will and Emma alone.

"I think the kids will be fine, don't you?" said Emma.

"I know it," replied Will, "and so will we."


	5. We're On Our Way!

_7:00am: front entrance of McKinley High_

The first rays of sunlight peeked out over the trees, the faint chirping of birds rang through the air. And outside the front entrance of McKinley High, Will and Emma stood hand in hand surrounded by various pieces of luggage, waiting for the glee kids to arrive. The day had finally come – they were about to head to Orlando for the national show choir championships, which would then be followed by Will and Emma's wedding.

"I hope the kids got a good night's sleep," Emma said, adjusting the white beret on her head. "It's going to be a long day today."

"I have no doubt they slept well," Will assured her. "Now we just have to wait for the kids to arrive." Suddenly, a horn honked as a car pulled into the school driveway in front of them, other cars following close behind. Rachel hopped enthusiastically out of the passenger seat of the lead car and grabbed her carry-on bag as her dad Hiram got out to get her suitcases out of the trunk. They were followed by Quinn and Finn, riding with Finn's mother Carole. Tina and Mercedes had caught a ride with Kurt and his dad Burt, Santana's mom Maria drove both her and Brittany, and Mike and Matt rode with Puck and his mom Dana. Finally, Artie's dad Mitch pulled his card to a halt, got Artie's wheelchair and bags out of the trunk, then opened the door for his son. Finn and Will helped get Artie into his wheelchair. The parking lot had been filled with parents hugging their kids, helping get luggage out of their cars and chatting amongst one another.

"Go get them, sweetie," Hiram Berry said to Rachel as he kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be down with Leroy in a few days."

"You're going to do great," Carole Hudson said to both Finn and Quinn, giving them each a huge hug. Once all the luggage had been unloaded and the hugs had been given, the families got back into their cars and waved goodbye, promising they'd all be flying down in the next few days. One by one, the cars pulled out, leaving the kids alone with Will and Emma.

"Well, it's great to see that you guys all made it here on time," said Will with a smile. "I hope you all slept well last night, because we've got a long day ahead of us. Before the bus arrives, I thought we should sort out the issue of roommates once we reach the hotel. All your names have been written on small sheets of paper and put into the hat Miss Pillsbury has in her hands. The name you draw will be the person you room with. Who would like to go first?" Finn stepped forward, fished around in the hat Emma held out, and pulled out a slip. He unfolded it and looked at the name.

"Tina," he said. Tina nodded, and Emma took Finn's name out. Santana went next and chose Mercedes. Then Kurt took his turn, he ended up with Mike. Rachel had chosen Quinn, and Matt was matched up with Artie, leaving Puck with Brittany by default.

"Here comes the bus," called Tina as the wheelchair-accessible coach bus pulled into the front drive and stopped in front of the group. The driver got out, opened the wheelchair door and lowered the ramp. Puck and Matt climbed aboard the bus and stood at the top of the ramp so they could help Artie. Once he was strapped in, the ramp raised and the access door closed, the rest of the kids along with Emma entered the bus and found seats while the driver helped Finn and Will load the luggage in the compartment. When they finished and the compartment doors were closed, Finn sat down beside Rachel and Will beside Emma. The driver climbed into his seat, closed the doors, revved up the engine and guided the bus out of the school lot.

"Look out nationals, here comes New Directions!" exclaimed Artie, his fist pumped in the air. The rest of the group cheered in response.

* * *

_10:00am, Dayton International Airport_

They made the trip to Dayton in record time, there wasn't much traffic on the highway so it was smooth sailing all the way down from Lima. Once at the airport, everyone collected their luggage after getting off the bus and helping Artie down. The driver wished the glee club good luck, then drove away.

"Stay together," Will instructed, "we don't want anyone getting lost." Carrying their belongings, the fourteen entered the terminal, heading towards the check-in counters. They found the counter for their flight and got in line as Will and Emma passed out their tickets. One by one, they checked in their bags as they showed their tickets to the attendant behind the counter, who entered it into her computer and then handed each person their boarding pass. Emma had insisted on a window seat since the aisle seats made her a little frightened. When all the bags for the plane were checked in, the group made their way to security. An attendant asked each person to put their carry-on bags, jewelry and whatnot into a bin, then had them step through the metal detector. After everyone cleared security, they walked to their gate and sat in the waiting area.

"I'm really excited," said Emma as she held Will's hand. "Nationals, the wedding, this is all so surreal. I couldn't have asked for anything better than this."

"Me neither," Will replied as he kissed her on the cheek. He pulled two bottles of water out of his carry-on bag and handed one to Emma.

"Look at the lovebirds over there," said Mercedes, who was a fair distance away from Will and Emma. "We gotta do something special for them when we're in Florida."

"How about a combination bridal shower/last night as singles party?" suggested Santana. "That way, we can celebrate all at once and let them know that we have their backs."

"Great idea," said Tina, and they gathered the other glee kids into a huddle.

* * *

_10:55am_

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now beginning priority boarding of flight 1791 to Orlando," said the gate attendant. "Will all those assisting small children and people in wheelchairs please begin boarding the plane now, please have one piece of photo identification and your boarding pass ready. Thank you."

"Let's roll, Artie," Tina said, Will had assigned her to help him board the plane. She pushed Artie's chair towards the gate attendant and they showed their boarding passes and ID. The attendant waved them through and they disappeared out of sight into the tunnel.

_11:00am_

"We are now beginning general boarding of flight 1791 to Orlando," the attendant announced. "Please have your boarding passes and identification ready for inspection. Thank you." Will, Emma and the remaining glee kids walked up to the attendant, showed their identification and down the tunnel towards the plane.

"Welcome aboard," said a flight attendant at the door as Emma and Will stood at the entrance to the plane, presenting her with their boarding passes. "7A and 7C, down the aisle to your left. As they entered, they passed by Artie and Tina and finally reached their row. Will helped Emma into her seat, they stowed their carry-on bags underneath the seats in front of them and fastened their seat belts. Emma rested her head on Will's shoulder and sighed happily.

* * *

_11:30am_

As the plane slowly pulled away from the terminal and turned towards the runway, the flight crew went through the safety procedures. Three other planes were ahead of theirs as the presentation ended and the attendants were strapped into their seats. Emma looked out the window, seeing one of the planes ahead take off.

_11:35am_

The runway was clear. The plane gathered speed as it started to taxi down the runway. Emma grabbed Will's hand and held on tight. Seconds later, the plane rose higher and into the clouds, leaving the ground below behind them.

At last they were on their way to Orlando. For the glee club, they were going to nationals. But for Will and Emma, a happily ever after waited for them on the other side.


	6. Hello, Florida

"Emma?" Will said as he softly nudged her. Halfway through the flight, she had fallen asleep, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Em, wake up – we're here!" Emma stirred and opened her eyes, then looked out the window. They were no longer above the clouds, they were on a runway heading towards the terminal building with palm trees in the distance.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked.

"You slept for half the flight, right after you finished your glass of water," Will said. "The flight attendant asked me if you needed a pillow, but it seemed that my shoulder was all the pillow you needed." He let out a small laugh and cuddled her close. The plane finally connected with the gate and came to a stop, the passengers starting to undo their seat belts and get their carry-on luggage. Tina and Artie were the first off the plane, and were followed by all the other passengers. Will let Emma out of her seat first, and they walked off the plane together.

They had made it to Orlando safe and sound.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, Tina and Artie were waiting for them. Soon they were joined by the other kids and then they all started walking together towards the baggage claim area. It was a long way to get there, but by just following the signs and directions it only took them several minutes.

"I can't believe we're here," Rachel said as the group waited at the carousel for their luggage. "It all seems so surreal."

"Well, you guys worked hard to get here," Will said.

"Right on, Mr. Schu," added Mike, "I hope we do well at nationals too." As the other kids nodded, the baggage carousel sprang to life as suitcases started coming into view. Puck and Matt went to get some carts while the others watched for their belongings. When they did come around, the guys helped get them off and onto the carts. Once they were all loaded and everyone's things were accounted for, they went down to the ground transportation area to find a way to their hotel.

* * *

A man was standing outside a wheelchair-accessible coach bus, holding a large sign reading "MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL" in clear letters. The glee kids and the two teachers all stood outside the doors.

"You're the group from McKinley High?" the driver asked.

"That's us," replied Finn.

"I've been assigned to take you to your hotel," he said, "a representative from the show choir association will meet you there. All aboard!" As the driver started loading the luggage into the compartments under the bus, the boys helped Artie on and the girls boarded soon after. Minutes later, the bus pulled away from the terminal and onto the highway towards Disney World, the kids taking pictures from the bus windows as they sped past.

* * *

"Disney Pop Century Resort, everyone off!" called the driver as the bus came to a halt outside the main entrance to the hotel almost an hour later. The group disembarked, Will and Finn staying on to assist Artie before getting off themselves. Hotel staff met them outside with luggage carts, picking up their suitcases and bringing them inside. With Artie finally down, Will and Finn re-joined the rest of the group and entered the hotel to check in.

A friendly-looking woman who looked to be in her early forties was standing just outside the entrance to the check-in line. She greeted them warmly.

"So you're the group from Ohio," the lady said. "I'm Liz Cranston, an assistant director with the American Show Choir Association. I wanted to take this time to welcome you to the national championships here in Orlando."

"Thank you for the welcome, Ms. Cranston," Will said, shaking her hand. "I'm Will Schuester, head coach of the McKinley High glee club."

"Yes, I remember you, Will," said Liz, "Branson, 1993 if I recall – the disco medley your group did brought the house down."

"That's right," Will replied with a smile, "and now I'm coaching this talented group of kids. I'd also like you to meet our other chaperone, Emma Pillsbury."

"How do you do?" said Emma with a small wave.

"I'll let you and your group check in," Liz said to Will, "and once the other four groups that are staying here arrive I'd like you to join me and the other coaches in the lobby for a quick orientation meeting to discuss when you will be performing in the preliminaries. I'll have a concierge call your room to let you know when we're ready to start." Will thanked her, then the group walked to the check-in desk.

"Hi, reservation for McKinley High School," Will said to the concierge behind the counter. The concierge punched in some data on his computer and found the reservation, then reached under the desk and pulled out seven small envelopes containing their key cards.

"McKinley High, yes, there you are – 6 standard rooms plus one wheelchair-access room," the concierge said. "You are staying in the 90s section, rooms 205 to 211 – just follow the signs from here, room 205 is wheelchair accessible. Your luggage has already been brought up." He passed the envelopes to Will.

"I need everyone to pair up with their roommates so I can give you your room keys," Will instructed the kids, and they did so. The key to room 205 was given to Matt and Artie, who went off together towards the elevators in their section. He kept 211 for himself and Emma, and distributed the rest of the keys to the remaining pairs. With all that sorted out, Will handed the concierge the full sheet of room assignments and they headed towards their section of the hotel and to their rooms.

McKinley High: Room Assignments

205: Artie A./Matt R.

206: Santana L./Mercedes J.

207: Mike C./Kurt H.

208: Finn H./Tina C.

209: Noah P./Brittany

210: Rachel B./Quinn F.

211: Will S./Emma P.

* * *

Inside room 211, Emma started hanging up her clothes on her side of the closet while Will was putting shirts into the drawers by his bed, all the while keeping one eye on the phone.

"Will, you've been half-staring at the phone for the last five minutes," Emma said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he replied, "I guess I'm just a little nervous about meeting the other four glee coaches and finding out information about the preliminaries." Emma walked over to his side of the room, gave him a look of love and understanding, and grasped his hand tightly.

"You're going to be fine, believe me," she said. "Just go down there when the time comes, give them your brightest smile and listen to everything Ms. Cranston has to tell you." The two of them were inches away from kissing one another when the phone rang, Will picked up the receiver.

"Mr. Schuester, this is Jonathan from the front desk," said the concierge on the other end of the line. "I just wanted to tell you the other groups have arrived and Ms. Cranston is ready for you. Please come down to the lobby as soon as you can."

"Thanks, I'll be right there," Will said, and he hung up. "I hopefully won't be long," he said to Emma, "if you could check on the kids to see if they've settled in that would be much appreciated." After leaving a quick kiss on Emma's cheek, he opened the door and disappeared into the hallway, leaving her alone in the room.


	7. First Test

Emma paced her room, waiting for Will to come back from his orientation meeting. She had checked on the kids just as he asked her to, and they were all settling in nicely. _He has been gone for the last twenty minutes,_ she thought, _I hope he's doing okay down there._ Suddenly, she heard a key card slide on the other side of the door, followed by the door itself creaking open. Will stepped into the room, carrying a folder of information.

"I missed you, sweet thing," Emma said playfully, giving him a kiss on the lips and running a perfectly sanitized hand through his curly hair. "How did it go?"

"The meeting was fine," Will replied, patting a spot for her beside him on his bed and opening the folder he had in his hand. "Ms. Cranston explained more about the preliminaries, and I met the coaches of the groups from California, Maine, Texas and South Carolina – they're staying in the hotel with us. Each preliminary contest starts in the late morning, ten groups per day. If we set curfew for the kids for 11:30pm, then we should be okay."

"When are we performing?" Emma asked.

"We should get the kids together for a meeting right now," he said, "because we're competing tomorrow. Right off the bat."

* * *

After Emma and Will knocked on everyone's doors, the kids all gathered in their room for the emergency glee meeting.

"I found out at the orientation meeting that we are performing on the first day of the preliminaries," Will explained, "and since that is tomorrow we won't have that much time to prepare. I know we have a dedicated set list that we put together back in Lima, but I want to save them for the off chance that we make it to the grand finals since they're among our best songs."

"So what do we do?" Finn asked.

"We need to come up with a three-song set list," Will replied, "and remember – one of those three songs must be a ballad." The group started to think about what three songs they would do. Suddenly a light bulb went off in Brittany's mind.

"What about 'Believe' for our ballad, you know, the song Mr. Schu wrote last year?" she suggested. "Tina sang it really good."

"We should also do an up-tempo song, something that will get the audience's attention," added Mercedes. "Puck and Santana could totally rock 'Under Pressure' by Queen, just like in that musical _We Will Rock You_."

"And we can close with 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', since it's such a crowd-pleaser," said Quinn.

"Mike, Santana, Brittany and I could put together some quick choreography," said Matt. "It will be a little sketchy, but like Finn said at sectionals last year, we're at our best when we're loose."

"Those are some great suggestions, you guys," said Will. "Let's go with them." He turned to Puck and Santana and asked if they were all right in doing the leads on the Queen song.

"Hey, I'm cool with it," Puck replied.

"I'm up for the challenge," added Santana.

"The competition starts at 11 tomorrow morning," said Will. "Miss Pillsbury and I have decided that curfew will be 11:30pm each night and we will wake you up sometime before 9 tomorrow so we can grab breakfast and get to the performance venue in time. Meeting adjourned, take it easy for the rest of the day and don't strain your voices." With that, the kids got up and left the room.

"The kids really did well in coming up with that set list," Emma said.

"I know what you mean, Em," Will replied, and the two held each other close as they looked out the window of their room to check out the amazing view.

* * *

The next morning, the entire glee club was up extra early in preparation for their first test at nationals – the preliminaries. As they went down to breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Will got a call from one of the members of the school jazz band on his cell phone saying their flight got in late last night and they would meet the group at the performance venue. However, their regular pianist's flight had been delayed from Dayton and wouldn't be there in time for the competition, so they asked him if he could fill in for the set and he agreed.

"Okay guys," he told the kids as they finished breakfast, "get your performance outfits and other stuff together, the bus should be here shortly." He and Emma watched as the kids left the restaurant and went back to their rooms. Will picked up his bag off the table, took Emma's hand and together they walked to the lobby to wait for the glee kids to return.

"This is it," he said softly, "we're about to compete at nationals."

"Don't worry, Will," Emma said kindly, "knowing how good the kids are, I think we're going to be all right." Just as all the kids assembled in the lobby with their costumes and other gear, the bus pulled up front. They were off to the preliminaries!

* * *

Once at the venue, Will signed in and Emma got the programs. People were milling about in the theater lobby and the kids were huddled together in a circle talking. The two adults returned soon after.

"Looks like we've drawn the first spot, you guys," Will said with a sigh as he scanned the program in his hands. "And it looks like they're doing the preliminaries a little different this year than from what we talked about before we left Lima. Ten groups will be chosen to move on to the finals, but the top two groups from each preliminary day will qualify instead of lumping the results into one day. Knowing the set list we came up with, I think we're going to do really good."

"Remember, first is good," Rachel said. "Because if we do really well, we will have set the bar way too high for the other groups."

"And our set list is killer," Finn added.

"The performance should be starting soon," Emma said, "so hurry and get changed." The kids rushed off to the nearest washrooms and got changed in record time. They all emerged wearing various types of tops in red, black jeans (capris for the girls) and black high-tops. The girls helped each other with their hair and makeup, and the guys looked pumped up.

"So here's the set," said Will. "Tina will lead off with 'Believe', then we'll go straight into 'Under Pressure' with Santana and Puck and close with 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' with Finn and Rachel on lead." He put his hand out, and one by one, each of the kids put theirs into the circle. Emma put hers right on top.

"McKinley High, you're up first," said a show runner. "Please head backstage now."

"GO….TITANS!" they cheered together, and thrust their hands skyward.

* * *

"Welcome to the first day of preliminary competition in this year's national show choir championships," the emcee announced to a packed auditorium. "We're proud to welcome fifty of the best high school glee clubs from across the country competing for the chance to be our national champions. Each day, ten groups will compete over five days, with the two groups from each day with the highest scores from the judges moving on to the grand final competition being held five days from now at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. So you can see the stakes are very high."

Behind the curtain, the McKinley team got into place with Tina up front. Will and the band took their positions on stage left, and Emma watched from the wings.

"Our first group of the competition is no stranger to the national stage," the emcee said. "They won the title in 1993 and are back for the first time since then. Ladies and gentlemen, from Lima, Ohio, please welcome McKinley High's New Directions!" The audience applauded as the emcee walked off stage and the curtain rose and the stage lights came up. Will began the piano intro to "Believe", and Tina launched into the opening song with the rest of the group behind her swaying in the background. From the wings, Emma was glowing with pride – they were doing well.

Tina held the last note of the first song as the bass and piano lines for "Under Pressure" kicked in. She rejoined the group and Santana and Puck took over to perform the high-energy Queen song. People in the audience were getting up and dancing, others singing along. The audience roared their approval when they finished.

They finished with their Stones cover, Finn and Rachel taking the lead as the group executed the choreography perfectly. The set ended with the group in a straight line at the front of the stage, hands extended in the air and heads bowed. The audience reaction was deafening as they leapt out of their seats and cheered wildly. Will applauded from the piano along with the band, and Emma was crying tears of joy in the wings. The kids took a bow and waved to the crowd as the curtain came down, then mobbed Emma excitedly. Will took her in his arms and kissed her, which made the kids cheer even more.

They had passed their first test and set the bar high for the other groups, but would they pass in the eyes of the judges?

* * *

From alongside the wall of the auditorium, Emma, Will and the kids watched the other nine groups perform their sets. They were all good, but from the looks of their performances, Rachel still believed that McKinley set the bar way too high. It was going to be tough for the judges to decide which two groups deserved to go on to the finals.

There was a brief intermission after the final performance to allow the judges to tabulate their scores. The glee kids held each other's hands for luck as they watched the deliberation carefully. It only took a few minutes for the judges to reach their final decision, one of them held out a card to the emcee, who took it in his hand and walked across the stage stopping dead center.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes day one of our preliminary competitions," he announced. "I must say that all the groups that performed today did exceptionally well and should be congratulated on making it this far. However, only two groups today will proceed on to the finals on Thursday, and I have in my hand the decision of the judges." A drumroll sounded over the auditorium speakers, and the glee kids bunched together in anticipation, Will and Emma holding on to each other's hands tightly. The emcee looked at the card and announced the winners.

"The winners of day one of the preliminary competitions in this year's national show choir championships, and moving on to Thursday's grand final are… Chelan High from Tacoma, Washington and McKinley High from Lima, Ohio! Congratulations!"

From opposite ends of the auditorium, the winning groups celebrated as the audience roared in approval of the judges' decision. The McKinley team was all over each other, hugging and cheering in jubilation, thrilled by the fact that they were now possibly one step closer to winning nationals.

"You guys, you don't know how proud I am of all of you," Will said, a huge smile lighting up his face. "I'm giving you tomorrow off to do with what you please, you deserve it. But promise me that we will start rehearsing for the finals on Monday."

"We promise," said Rachel, and the others agreed.

"By the way, Mr. Schu, what are you doing with your day off tomorrow?" asked Finn, and he saw Will turn to Emma.

"What do you say, Em, want to spend the day at Disney World together, just the two of us?" he asked.

"I'd love to," Emma replied, and she kissed him full on the lips.


	8. Dreaming Together

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."

Emma stirred in her bed, shifting beneath the covers. She felt a warm touch on her arm, opened her eyes, turned and saw Will kneeling at the side of the bed, smiling at her. He was already showered and dressed, wearing a red McKinley High T-shirt, black shorts and his most comfortable pair of sneakers. His sunglasses were perched on top of his head.

"Good morning, Em," he said softly. "Did my princess sleep well?"

"I was dreaming about us," Emma replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I can't wait to spend the day together, just the two of us." The night before, Will had arranged everything with the concierge – he had bought their tickets, made dining reservations and picked up a map of the park, making note of some of the more romantic spots. He wanted to make their day just right. Emma got out of bed, decided on what she was going to wear, then went into the bathroom to change and get herself cleaned up. She emerged fifteen minutes later, wearing a white sundress with a blue flower print and matching white flats. A tote bag was slung over her shoulder containing sunscreen, hand sanitizer, her wallet and three pairs of plastic gloves.

"You look so pretty, Em," Will commented appreciatively. "Let's go downstairs for breakfast before we head to the park." Opening the door and picking up the backpack he was taking off his bed, he took Emma's hand and walked into the hallway together, closing the door to their room behind them.

* * *

"Hey, good morning Mr. Schu, Miss P," said Mercedes as Emma and Will entered the hotel restaurant. She and some of the other glee kids were already in the middle of breakfast.

"Good morning, Mercedes," Will said with a smile. "What are you guys doing with your day off today?"

"We're probably just going to search for a mall, go swimming, that kind of stuff," replied Tina. "But don't you worry about us, we'll be fine."

"Yeah," added Finn. "You and Miss Pillsbury have a good time at Disney World, we'll get our chance to go there on Thursday for the competition finals."

"We'll be sure to take lots of pictures," Emma assured the kids as Will came back from the buffet line with two plates of waffles with a side of fresh fruit, along with two glasses of fresh orange juice. When they finished, they headed to the lobby to catch the shuttle bus to the park.

"Hey Will," called a voice. It belonged to the coach of the team from Maine, Michael McAdams. Alongside him were 20 students carrying various garment and tote bags.

"Hi Michael," Will said, returning the greeting. "Are you guys competing today?"

"Yes we are," the Maine coach replied. "I heard from Ms. Cranston that your students performed a great set yesterday, congrats on making it to the finals."

"Thanks, and good luck to you," said Will. "I hope you make the finals too." Just then, the park shuttle bus arrived, and he and Emma along with several other hotel guests climbed aboard. At last, they were on their way.

* * *

They decided to begin their day in the Magic Kingdom. They entered through the front gates and stood at the foot of Main Street USA, Cinderella Castle rising before them. Emma immediately started taking pictures with her digital camera.

"So beautiful," she sighed.

"Come on Em," Will said, "let's do some exploring." They walked up Main Street to where the statue of Walt and Mickey stood in the middle of a circular path, which branched off into the main areas of the Magic Kingdom. Emma pointed at the path that led to Fantasyland, and they headed off together in that direction.

"Let's go on a ride," he suggested as they stood near the entrance to the Mad Tea Party attraction once inside Fantasyland. Emma looked a little hesitant.

"I don't know," she said, feeling a little nervous. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Of course, you can trust me," Will said with a smile. He took her by the hand and led her through the entrance of the ride to stand in line, which wasn't a long wait at all. When it was their turn to board the ride, a staff member waved them through and they sat in a pink teacup with several other guests and waited until all guests in their group boarded the ride. Will put one arm around Emma and the other on the central wheel in their cup as the ride began to spin. Emma felt the wind in her hair as they spun around until even she was smiling.

"That was fun," Emma said as they left the ride moments later. They continued to walk around Fantasyland. "Reminds me of when I went to the carnival when I was a little girl, my dad would take me on the tilt-a-whirl."

"Smile!" said Will, and he had snapped a picture of Emma getting a kiss from Stitch, one of the costumed characters that was entertaining guests in the area. She laughed with delight. They waved goodbye to the character, and continued through the Magic Kingdom. There was still much of the park for them to explore.

* * *

"Have you ever tried a funnel cake?" Will asked Emma. Walking had made them a little hungry, so while they were in Liberty Square, they stopped at Sleepy Hollow for a snack. He had purchased a funnel cake topped with powdered sugar and strawberries for them to share and set it on the table where they were sitting. Emma took her fork and pulled a piece of the fried dough off, swirled it around in the strawberry syrup and chewed it up.

"Wow, this is so good," she said. Once she finished her current piece, she reached over to pull off another one, this piece a little bigger than the last. As she raised it to her mouth, the piece fell off her fork and landed back on the plate in a cloud of powdered sugar – some of which had landed right on the tip of Emma's nose!

"Oh dear," she said, eyes down on the dusty white sugar on her nose. But then she recalled the time when Will had tried an experiment on her with chalk dust that one day after school hours in the science lab. He was looking at her the same way he did back then.

"May I?" Will asked, and Emma gave a small nod. He reached over and gently brushed the powdered sugar off her nose with his arm.

"There," he said as he looked at his watch, then back at Emma. "Ten seconds."

"We tied our record," she replied softly.

* * *

The day slowly progressed into the evening. After spending much time in the Magic Kingdom taking pictures, meeting characters, going on rides and buying souvenirs for themselves and the glee kids, Will and Emma decided to move on. They took the monorail to Epcot, bypassed Future World and walked to the World Showcase area of the park. They visited every pavilion, saw movies about China and Canada, and took in the sights, sounds and smells of the various national cultures. After touring the pavilions, they stopped at the Japan Pavilion for a romantic Japanese dinner at the Tokyo Dining restaurant. Will fed Emma a piece of tuna from his sashimi plate with his chopsticks, while she fed him a piece of her shrimp tempura. They then clinked their glasses of iced tea together in celebration of their perfect day.

"We're just in time for the fireworks," Will said, checking his watch as they left the restaurant. They were still at the Japan pavilion as a blanket of stars twinkled in the night sky, their reflections shining in the lagoon.

"What a beautiful night," Emma remarked. "I don't know what could make it any more special." Then from out of nowhere, a recorded voice spoke to start the fireworks show.

_Good evening. On behalf of Walt Disney World, the place where dreams come true, we welcome all of you to Epcot and World Showcase. We've gathered here tonight around the fire as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us... to share the light... and to share a story. An amazing story as old as time itself, but still being written. And though each of us has our own individual stories to tell, a true adventure emerges when we bring them all together as one. We hope you enjoy our story tonight:__Reflections of Earth__._

Music then started to play as the lagoon came alive with dazzling color and beautiful fireworks. As they stood by the pagoda at the Japan pavilion watching the breathtaking display, Will and Emma held each other close, Emma's head resting on Will's shoulder, both dreaming together of their own happy ever after.


	9. Finals Countdown

Monday morning dawned with cloudy weather outside, but bright optimism for the McKinley High glee club. Holding their end of the bargain that the kids made with Emma and Will, they all went down to the lobby to start rehearsing for the final competition on Thursday. The concierge had agreed to let them use the space, and it would also give the kids a chance to entertain the guests who came and went.

Of course, they kept a close eye on the preliminary news – especially news about the groups they shared the hotel with. The team from Maine had made it to the finals by a close margin in the second preliminary competition advancing with a group from Utah, and the groups from Texas and California were competing that very day. Once all the kids had assembled, Emma and Will were the last to arrive. Emma had brought a small portable boom box with a CD of the instrumental tracks for four of their songs, and Will brought his guitar in its hard black case.

"Good morning, guys," Will said, smiling. "I'm glad to see you kept your promise and are here to start rehearsing for the finals. First I want to run through the guys' and the girls' group numbers before we work on the solos. Guys, front and center." The guys came forward as the girls sat behind them, they had chosen to reprise their mash-up of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" and Usher's "Confessions Part 2" for their group number. Emma pressed a button on the boom box and found the right track. The music began and Finn took them through the first part of the song. Though they had decided to reprise the mash-up, Mike and Matt added some new tweaks to the choreography and it looked and sounded good. A small crowd of guests had started to form a semi-circle around the group, and when the guys finished they got a huge ovation.

The guys stepped back, and the girls took over to rehearse their group number. They had chosen "Man, I Feel Like A Woman" by Shania Twain with Santana and Brittany handling the dance steps. The number was flirty and energetic, and the crowd watching them really got into it. The girls got the same loud applause from the crowd that the guys received when the number concluded.

* * *

"Those numbers were amazing," Emma said to the kids, "I think you're really going to wow the judges with them. I know you wowed me."

"Thanks, Miss Pillsbury," said Rachel, "we worked so hard on them. When Mr. Schu assigned us this task, it wasn't too hard to come up with some good songs to try."

"Let's work on the solos now," said Will as he slipped the strap of his guitar over his shoulder and played a few chords to warm up. He called Mercedes up front to do her solo, which would be performed second in their six-song set.

"Ready when you are, Mr. Schu," Mercedes said, and Will started playing. He had chosen the Melissa Etheridge song "I'm The Only One" for her because it had some big power notes that he knew Mercedes could handle without any trouble. She worked it big time, infusing her chocolate thunder into the song and blowing the crowd's minds with her powerful voice. The crowd was whistling and hollering when she was done, the rest of the kids left awestruck by the performance.

"Quinn, are you ready?" Will asked. She nodded, and walked to the front of the group. "The Climb" was chosen for her solo, but it wasn't chosen by Will – it was chosen by the other glee kids. They wanted Quinn to know that she wasn't alone, that ever since her world unraveled a year prior, the others would continue to make the journey with her. In other words, they felt it was the perfect song for her…and they were right. Quinn's voice was strong and full of emotion as she sang the solo while the other kids swayed in the back doing the chorus part. There wasn't a dry eye left in the lobby when the song ended.

"That was gorgeous," Rachel said to Quinn just after the crowd surrounding them dispersed. "We all knew that was the perfect song for you."

"You guys really didn't have to do this for me, honest," Quinn replied.

"But we wanted to," said Finn. "We knew you had been through a real tough time in your life, and we wanted to show you that you're not alone. You have us, as well as Mr. Schu and Miss Pillsbury, to catch you if you fall."

"Preach!" exclaimed Artie.

"You said it, Finn," added Kurt.

"Right on," chimed in Mercedes.

"You better believe it," said Will, and he came forward to give Quinn a warm hug.

* * *

Tuesday saw the group practice their big opening and closing numbers. Both Texas and California were eliminated during Monday's preliminary competition (California was edged out by a group from Vermont by a fraction of a percent finishing in third place), and South Carolina was competing this day. As well, the families of the glee kids along with Will's parents and Principal Figgins were flying down together from Dayton on the same plane. Emma's family would be flying down from Richmond, and other family and friends of the couple living across the country were all flying into Orlando within the next couple of days – Will had found out the news of the flight from Dayton after receiving a call from his mom.

After practice, Rachel and Finn shooed Will and Emma away so they could meet with the other glee kids for a secret pow-wow. So the two adults decided to go swimming together at the pool in their section of the hotel.

"You look cute in that swimsuit, Em," Will said as he took in Emma's turquoise one-piece suit. She was sitting on the edge of the pool, her feet dangling in the water, watching as Will took a flying leap off the diving board and splashed into the water, his head popping up above the surface.

"Come on in Emma, the water's great!" he called.

"Okay Will, if you insist," she replied as she slowly sunk into the pool and swam to where Will was treading in one spot. She sneaked up behind him…and dunked his head underwater with a laugh!

"Why you sneaky little thing," Will said as he resurfaced, and repaid Emma's surprise by dunking her head underwater. She resurfaced, laughing happily.

"Bet you can't catch me," she called over her shoulder, and swam off.

"Bet you I can," he called back, and he chased after her.

* * *

After drying off and changing into fresh clothes, the couple returned inside the hotel where a message was waiting at the concierge's desk to go to Artie and Matt's room immediately. When they returned to their floor, Emma knocked on the door of room 205.

"Mr. Schu, Miss P, is that you guys?" called Artie's voice from inside.

"It's us," Will replied. They heard footsteps as someone went to open the door. When it did open, they saw all the glee kids together and the room decorated for a party.

"SURPRISE!" they shouted as Emma and Will entered the room.

"My goodness," said Emma in shock, "what is all this?"

"We decided to throw you guys a wedding shower before all the excitement of Thursday and the weekend kick in," explained Rachel. "That's why we shooed you two away after practice."

"And on Sunday while you guys were at Disney World, we went to a nearby mall and got each of you a wedding gift – we all chipped in to buy them," added Finn. Tina and Mike presented each of them with a present wrapped in white paper and tied with a silver bow. Both carefully unwrapped their presents. Their eyes grew wide at what the kids had selected for them.

"Oh," said Emma breathlessly. She was holding a music box in her hands with a porcelain figure of Tinkerbell on a sparkly green base. When she wound it up, it played "When You Wish Upon a Star". She wiped a tear away as the music box continued to play.

"Wow," commented Will at his gift. They had chosen for him a huge music book filled with contemporary pop songs, as well as three notebooks with blank music staff lines.

"So you can write more songs," said Artie. "And the music book is for just in case you get any more ideas for songs you want to try on us."

"Thank you so much, you don't know how much we appreciate everything you've done," said Emma.

"You're welcome," said Quinn with a smile. "Now let's party!"

* * *

Finally it was Wednesday, the day before the finals. The preliminary competitions had wrapped up earlier in the day, and out of fifty only ten remained. Liz Cranston ran into Will and Finn in the lobby after they finished having a snack in the restaurant and told them the local CBS affiliate would be doing a story about the competition on their evening newscast, so she asked them to tell the rest of their group.

That evening, the entire glee club along with Will and Emma had converged in Artie and Matt's room once more to watch the news and the story about the competition. Brittany and Mercedes had brought snacks and drinks they had purchased in the lobby shop. Matt picked up the remote control and flipped it to channel 6 just as the news was starting.

"For the past week, Orlando has been playing host to some of the best high school show choirs in the country as part of the national show choir championships," said anchor Jacqueline London. "One of our reporters, Chris Trenkmann, has been following the competition closely over the past five days, with the final set for tomorrow evening at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Chris, if you please."

"Thank you Jacqueline," said Chris as video footage from the five preliminary competitions rolled behind him. "From fifty, down to ten, the best high school glee clubs in the United States have been competing in preliminary contests over the last five days with the top two groups from each day's contest moving on to tomorrow's finals. I must say that the ten who have made it are truly the best of the best, it's going to be hard for the judges to pick a winner."

"So there were some really great groups," said Jacqueline. "Who would you say would be one of the teams to watch out for in the finals tomorrow night?"

"Definitely the team from Ohio," Chris replied. "They're one of the smallest teams in the field, but they've got amazing energy and incredible talent. I must say that their set in the preliminaries blew me away – an original song to lead off followed by a fantastic take on two classic rock songs. The vocals were incredible and the choreography was great too. I would definitely say that they are one of the favorites to win the whole thing tomorrow night."


	10. Our Time Is Now

It was Thursday.

The day the glee club had been working for since Will took over, the day they had been waiting for, rehearsing long hours for had finally arrived.

It was the day of the national finals.

"Wake up, my handsome prince," Emma cooed softly as she tried to get Will out of bed. He began to stir and finally opened his eyes, sitting up in his bed seeing all the luggage packed and sitting near the door to their room – his on the left side and hers on the right.

"Good morning, Em," he said. "Did you pack all the bags while I was still sleeping?" It suddenly dawned on him that today they would be checking out of the Pop Century Resort and moving to the Grand Floridian. The concierge at the Pop Century helped to arrange the transfer, he would make sure that all their luggage and belongings made it to the other resort safely.

"You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to wake you," Emma said, "so I quietly went around the room and packed our suitcases. Now get dressed, we've got a big day ahead of us."

"Yes ma'am!" Will said, saluting, and he hopped out of bed and walked to the bathroom. He took the world's quickest shower, dried himself off and got dressed. He emerged wearing a black suit jacket over a white T-shirt, jeans and his favorite brown boots. Emma carefully placed their key cards back into its envelope after making the beds. They then picked up their bags and headed out the door to go downstairs to the lobby, prepare for check-out and have breakfast in the restaurant.

* * *

"Here's a picture of Mr. Schu when he was our age and competing at nationals," Rachel said to the glee kids, who were crowded at one big table in the restaurant as they were having breakfast. She showed them a photo of Will at the national championships back in 1993 while browsing the American Show Choir Association web site on her laptop, he wasn't that hard to spot.

"Even back then he had that same curly hair," said Matt. "Pretty cool."

"I saw a video of the 1993 team in the school library before we left for Florida," added Artie. "It's no wonder why they won the title back then, they were really good."

"I did some further research," continued Rachel. "Did you know that if we win tonight, our teacher will have made Ohio state show choir history?"

"Get out of town, girl!" exclaimed Mercedes.

"No, it's true," said Rachel. "I checked the list of Ohio state champions, and nobody on that list has won the national title as a member of the winning team and later as the same school's director."

"Let's make a pledge to win this tonight for Mr. Schu," said Finn, "not because of what Rachel just said, but because he believed in all of us. We wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for him." He put his hand out on the table.

"And for Miss P as well," added Tina, adding her hand to Finn's. "Because she believed in us too. It would be a wedding present both of them won't ever forget." Soon, everyone's hand was in the circle as a promise to try and win nationals for Will and Emma – the two people who believed in them the most.

* * *

Later that morning, the glee club arrived at the Grand Floridian Resort in the special bus chartered just for them. All their luggage had been sent over separately from the Pop Century Resort, and the Grand Floridian concierge welcomed them warmly. After checking in and finding their rooms, Will encouraged the kids to rest up in preparation for the competition, which was scheduled to begin at 7 that evening.

"I want you all in good spirits for this evening," he reminded them as the kids either went off to the pool or the arcade to relax. Quinn and Mercedes came up to him.

"Hey Mr. Schu, could you do us a huge favor?" asked Mercedes.

"What's up, you two?" Will asked.

"Well, Mercedes and I were wondering if you could help accompany us on our solos," replied Quinn. "It felt good to sing during that rehearsal on Monday when you were playing for us, so we thought with you up there tonight it would feel even better for us."

"Of course," replied Will. "Anything to help the team."

"You rock, Mr. Schu, thanks so much," said Mercedes, and the two girls left. Emma had gone to the hotel salon for a touch-up on her hair, so Will went back to his room alone to practice. It was going to be the biggest night of his life aside from his upcoming wedding.

* * *

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to the grand finals of the national high school show choir championships live from the Magic Kingdom here at the Walt Disney World Resort!" announced the emcee to the assembled crowd of thousands of people. All of Main Street had been closed off for the event and a stage had been put up that morning at the top of the street just in front of Cinderella Castle. The judges' table sat just off to the right of the stage, and behind the stage a large tent had been set up for the groups complete with monitors to allow everyone to watch the performances.

"This week, we've been honored to have hosted fifty of the best high school show choirs from across the United States," the emcee continued, "and tonight the ten choirs who were lucky enough to pass their preliminary competitions are here to compete one last time for the honor of being national champions. The ten groups you are about to see tonight are the best of the best, so we hope you enjoy the performances and encourage you to cheer on your favorites."

Backstage in the tent, the ten groups waiting for their turn were either warming up, adjusting their costumes, pacing their area, watching the feed on the monitors or just sitting quietly. In their corner, the members of the McKinley team were all gathered around Will and Emma, listening to their coach give them a pep talk.

"First of all, I want to say how proud I am of you guys for making it this far, and I hope tonight you all go out there and do your best," said Will. "You all believed in each other and in the songs you're singing, and no matter what happens, we're still winners." He looked at his group of kids with a huge smile on his face, all decked out in costumes Emma helped choose – the girls in red-and-black strapless dresses, the boys in black short-sleeve shirts, black jeans and red ties. A draw had been held before the show began to determine the performing order, and they would be going last, so they had quite a while to wait with each group doing a six-song set.

The performance began minutes later, the team from Vermont up first. As the other groups watched the monitors, the Ohio corner was quiet. Santana had taken charge and led the group, including the adults, in a meditation exercise she learned from her mom. The fourteen of them stood together in a circle, hands clasped, eyes closed and heads bowed as she softly gave her instructions. When she finished, the group opened their eyes.

"Man, I feel so calm and relaxed," said Finn.

* * *

Time passed, most of the groups had already performed. As the ninth group, the team from New Jersey, performed, a show runner called for the McKinley team to head to the stage.

"This is it," Will said as he grasped Emma's hand. Behind them, the kids were all grouped together, reminding each other of the pledge they had made. The members of the school's jazz band joined them seconds later, and soon they were at the bottom of the stairs leading to the stage. Applause marked the end of the New Jersey team's set, and that group walked off the stage at the other end. Will and the band took their places at the sides of the stage.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," said the emcee, "please join me in welcoming our final team of the evening. They qualified on the very first day of competition, and their talent and determination are the reasons why they are here tonight. From Lima, Ohio, please welcome McKinley High!" The kids went up and took their places on stage to loud applause, Emma watching from the side. As they looked over the crowd, they saw signs near the front held by their families and friends reading "McKinley High #1", "Titan Power" and "New Directions Rules!" Seconds later, they started into their first song, "Don't Stop Believing". As Finn and Rachel took the lead, the rest of the group got into the performance – as did the crowd. Their first number finished strong as the crowd cheered loudly.

Mercedes took center stage as Will began playing the opening chords of "I'm The Only One", the second song in their set. She owned the stage, driving the crowd wild with her powerful voice and giving the performance everything she had. She belted out her last note to thunderous applause.

Next up were the two group performances. Finn and Artie led the guys through their mash-up number, the crowd enjoying Matt and Mike's new choreography. Then the girls took over for their Shania number, each girl taking two lines in each verse before going into the chorus in harmony while executing the dance steps Santana and Brittany had devised. Both numbers got tons of applause and cheering from the audience.

The rest of the girls re-joined the guys, leaving Quinn at center stage for her solo – the song that her club mates chose especially for her, "The Climb". Will had devised a simple arrangement with the only accompaniment being drums, bass and acoustic guitar. As Quinn sang, the other kids backed her up with a choral arrangement they had come up with themselves. After everything she had been through, all her feelings were released in that one song, and the crowd responded by erupting into deafening applause.

The music changed, and Quinn was joined by Rachel, Finn and Puck for the club's finale, "Come So Far" from the film version of the musical _Hairspray_. The crowd was clapping and singing along, some dancing in the spots they were standing in. The group finished with their heads up and their hands thrust skyward, breathing hard after nailing the difficult choreography. There was a few seconds of silence from the crowd, then wild applause, loud cheering and whistling. From his spot with the band, Will applauded proudly, and Emma jumped up and down with tears of joy streaming down her face from where she was watching. The kids took their bows and ran off the stage.

* * *

"You guys, that was amazing!" Will exclaimed as the group headed back to the performers' tent. While the judges were deliberating their final scores, the organizers arranged for some talent from the park to perform for the crowd.

"We're going to let you in on a little secret, Mr. Schu," Finn said. "Our performance tonight was dedicated to you and Miss Pillsbury. Win or lose."

"Us?" said Emma, looking shocked. "But why?"

"It's very obvious," said Tina, "the two of you were always there for us and believed in us. Finn has said time and time again that we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys."

"Think of it as a way of saying thanks for all you've done for us," added Quinn. As they entered the tent, the other groups applauded them and congratulated them on an incredible performance. Now it was in the hands of the judges.

* * *

The judges had made their decision twenty minutes later. The show runners called for all the groups to come to the stage. Rachel grabbed Finn's hand nervously and Will's arm was around Emma, who held on to her tightly. The emcee took the stage, who was joined by the president of the American Show Choir Association to help present the trophies to the top three finishers.

"The judges have made their decision," he informed the crowd. "But before we find out who our national champions are, let's give a round of applause to our ten finalists, as well as the other forty groups who competed this week. No matter what, they are all winners." The crowd applauded in agreement. A judge came on stage to hand the emcee the envelope, who tore it open and took out the card with the results.

"Without further ado," he announced, "here are the decisions of our judges. In third place… Crestwood High from Duluth, Minnesota!" The team from Minnesota had done well with their performance, and the rest of the groups applauded as they watched the Minnesota group receive their bronze trophies. They waved them in the air to the delight of their supporters, then stepped back.

"In second place… Vista High from Bangor, Maine!" The McKinley group applauded loudly as they watched their friends from the Pop Century receive their silver trophies. They were genuinely happy for their achievement, their set was amazing.

"And now," said the emcee as a drumroll boomed over the sound system, "the moment we've all been waiting for. First place, and the title of this year's national high school show choir champions goes to…"

"God, I can't listen," said Mercedes under her breath as the emcee paused for suspense.

"McKinley High from Lima, Ohio!"

* * *

"WE DID IT!" shouted Finn with jubilation, and he twirled Rachel in the air. Will and Emma embraced each other in celebration as the rest of the glee club were entangled in a huge group hug. In the crowd, the families and friends of the kids celebrated, throwing their signs in the air, cheering and crying while the rest of the crowd roared their appreciation of the judges' decision. The national president stepped forward as the group ran onto the stage and presented Will with the gold trophy, then presented each of the kids with their own smaller versions as two confetti cannons shot red and white confetti into the air and flashbulbs popped everywhere.

"Congratulations," the emcee said to Will, "your victory tonight was well-deserved. Is there anything you would like to say to those who supported you and your group?"

"Wow," Will said, "this has been an incredible experience and I never thought that we would be standing here as national champions. I just want to say thank you to our families and friends for supporting us through this amazing week, to the judges for recognizing the talent of these amazing kids, to the Ohio state show choir board for all the support they've given us, and most of all I want to thank the kids themselves because they believed in themselves and put their hearts and souls into what you just heard tonight. They are amazing young people, and I'm so proud of what they have accomplished." The crowd continued to roar as Will hoisted the trophy skyward for everyone to see.

"I'd also like to point out a little something here," said the national president as he leaned into the microphone. "McKinley High's director, Will Schuester, has made history. In the history of high school show choirs in the state of Ohio, no person has won both as a member of a national champion school and later as a director for the same school…until now. Will is the first person in his state to accomplish this feat, so let's give him a huge round of applause." The ovation was deafening as Will continued to stand center stage while he received a token of his accomplishment. As fireworks erupted over Cinderella Castle, Emma and the glee kids mobbed Will on stage while the crowd continued to cheer.

New Directions had done it. They were national champions.


	11. One More Day

Thursday moved into Friday quickly, but the glee club was still on a huge high after their nationals victory. Disney World helped celebrate by featuring the entire group in a special parade down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom that morning, Will and Emma along with Rachel and Finn waved from the lead float with Mickey and Minnie Mouse – both characters dressed in McKinley High clothes. Tina and Quinn collected every local newspaper they could find with stories about the competition, and someone from the Lima News presented the group each with their own copy of the Friday edition of the paper, which featured them prominently on the front page with a feature story.

With the elation of the win aside, all thoughts turned to Emma and Will, as it was the day before their wedding. The couple hosted a huge celebratory brunch which saw their families as well as all the families of the glee club in attendance, Emma's brother-in-law David McRae snapping pictures of the gathering. They were proud to have such a great extended family of people supporting them.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to make a toast," said Finn's mom Carole as she stood up with her glass of fruit juice in her hand. "A toast to our wonderful and talented children are in order for their win at nationals last night. You were all amazing and we are so very proud of you."

"Hear hear!" chanted the rest of the group. As Carole sat down, Artie's father Mitch Abrams stood up.

"I think a toast is also in order to Mr. Schuester," he said. "It's because he never gave up on our kids, motivated them and inspired them to be the best they can be. I speak on behalf of all the parents when I say that we have you to thank for being part of our children's lives."

"Preach!" Mercedes cried out, smiling at her own parents Daryl and Leona, then at her teacher. Will was blushing as the group saluted him for his efforts in turning their lives around.

"I'm touched," he said as he looked at everyone's proud faces. "I never thought that in my wildest dreams and in all my years as a teacher, something like this could happen. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to guide your children on the right path to success."

* * *

After the brunch, Emma and Will let the kids spend a bit of time with their families. As they interacted with one another, their thoughts were consumed over each other and the event that was to come the next day.

"Here we are, our last day as singles," Will said. "What are you going to do today?"

"The girls and I are going to pamper ourselves at the hotel spa," Emma replied. "How about you?"

"Paintball with the guys," he answered. "Should be fun. I've never done it before, but Finn said he'd teach me the basics."

"Well, be careful," Emma said, "we don't want you all splattered from head to toe at the rehearsal tonight."

"I promise," replied Will.

* * *

"Ah, this is heaven," sighed Rachel as an attendant gave her a massage. She, along with Emma, the rest of the glee girls, Emma's sister Melanie, Emma's mother Susan and Will's mother Linda were spending the afternoon at the hotel spa to relax and pamper themselves. Emma looked around at the women proudly as she was getting a manicure and pedicure done, the esthetician promised she would be very gentle.

"So I hear you're getting married tomorrow, Emma," the esthetician, whose name was Andrea, said as she soaked her charge's nails in a lemon water bath. "Tell me all about the lucky guy."

"Believe me, Will is the sweetest man you'll ever meet," Emma replied. "He is also very talented, he can sing, dance, speak several languages and is also an excellent musician. Whenever I'm around him, I feel safe and happy because he'll always give me a shoulder to lean on when I'm feeling sad."

"And how did you guys meet?" asked Andrea.

"We work together at McKinley High School back in Lima," said Emma, "I'm the guidance counselor there, and he's the Spanish teacher as well as the glee club coach. One morning while I was walking across the campus, I stepped in a wad of gum and it stuck to my shoe. He saw me sitting on a bench looking glum because of the gum on my shoe, so he took one of his credit cards and gently scraped it off. At that time, he was married to another woman, but he found out that she had been lying to him about something that meant so much to him that he left her, then subsequently divorced her. I myself had come off a broken engagement, but something in my heart told me that Will was the right guy. After dating for a little over a year, he proposed to me at a fundraiser that the glee club had organized and I accepted."

"He proposed in front of the entire glee club," said Mercedes, who had just come over from her facial and sat down at the table next to Emma for a manicure of her own.

"Well, I wish you and Will a happy life together," Andrea said, then went back to work on Emma's manicure.

* * *

Meanwhile, at an indoor paintball range in downtown Orlando, Will, his college friend Dan and the glee guys were blowing off some steam in a frenzied 4-on-4 game of "capture the flag". He and Finn had chosen the teams in a groom vs. best man match, and that moment Will and Puck were heading towards Finn's side of the field while Mike and Artie were defending the enemy flag at "Fort Schu" (as Mike had called it). Puck could see Matt and Kurt in plain view guarding "Fort Finn", which held their flag. Dan and Finn were probably looking for a way to sneak up on them. Suddenly, Dan jumped out from an obstacle and began to launch a round of paintballs from his gun.

"Duck, Mr. Schu!" called Puck, and Will got down low avoiding his friend's ambush. Staying low, he nailed Dan with a few rounds of his own from behind. As he and Puck inched closer to the enemy fort, Matt opened fire, narrowly missing Puck. Puck countered with a barrage on Matt while Will snuck around the back and swiped the flag unnoticed. With the flag in one hand and his paintball gun in the other, Will started charging up the field towards his own base with Puck close behind, but Finn had jumped out halfway and fired. Finn didn't get his teacher, but he got Puck in a spray of colored paint across the chest. Mike charged up the field to help Will while Dan ran to help Finn. Paintballs flew in all directions as Mike got Dan and Will got Finn.

"Man, that was fun," Finn said as the game ended. "You're a good shot, Mr. Schu, I thought you never played paintball before."

"This was my first time," said Will. "And besides, you taught me the basics pretty well."

"Too well if you ask me," joked Finn, and all the guys laughed.

* * *

The wedding rehearsal went smoothly that evening, Emma wearing Mickey Mouse ears with a bridal veil attached to the back for practice and a hotel employee standing in for the minister, who was flying in from Richmond later that night. The dinner followed soon after with the entire glee club and the couple's immediate families in attendance at one of the hotel's best restaurants. They ate a huge meal, then Will and Emma presented their small gifts to their groomsmen and bridesmaids. Both Emma and Will had decided to keep to tradition and not see each other until the wedding, so they had arranged for alternate sleeping arrangements. Rachel had offered to put Emma up in the room she was sharing with Tina and Quinn, and Will would be staying with his parents in their room.

"Emma and I would like to thank you all for being here this evening," Will said happily. "You don't know how much your love and friendship means to both of us."

"You are the greatest friends and family we could ever hope for," Emma added, "and we hope that this experience has touched your lives as much as it has touched ours." The rest of the group echoed their sentiments with wild and enthusiastic applause.

* * *

After the dinner and after their guests left, Will and Emma stood alone, holding hands as they faced each other. It would be the last time they would see one another before tomorrow.

"Are you nervous, Em?" asked Will.

"A little," Emma replied, "but tomorrow it will all be worth it because I'm marrying the most wonderful man in the whole world."

"Just like I'm marrying the most wonderful woman in the world," he responded as he held her tight. After all that they had been through together over the past year with broken relationships, failed engagements and lengthy divorce battles, it had all come down to the next day when the two would be together forever at last.

"It's getting late, we should think about heading to our rooms," Emma said, breaking out of her dream state. Will kissed her as they went into a huge embrace, hoping never to let go. But finally, they went their separate ways.

"Sweet dreams, my princess," said Will, giving Emma a smile.


	12. I Will Always Love You

"Good morning, Sunshine."

Emma heard the nickname that her mother gave her when she was little and opened her eyes. Susan was standing by the side of the bed and smiling at her daughter as she held her hand. Sunlight was streaming through the window into the room, and Rachel, Quinn and Tina were already up and dressed.

It was Saturday at last. Today was Emma's wedding day.

"Hi, Mom," Emma said as she sat up in bed. "I almost thought that this was all some sort of dream, and that I would wake up to realize that it wasn't." She looked at the closet on the far side of the room, where the white garment bag that held her wedding dress was hanging.

"It's definitely real," her mom said softly, "my baby girl is going to be a bride today. " She gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"You better get out of bed right now, Miss P," Rachel said, "because we're meeting Melanie and Santana downstairs to get our hair done, then we're having breakfast in the restaurant."

"After that, we're all meeting in Mercedes' room to help you get ready for the wedding," added Quinn. She watched as Emma went into the bathroom to change. Once out, they left the room and went down to the lobby where they met up with Santana and Melanie outside the Ivy Trellis Salon and went inside. The stylists met up with them right away and whisked all the girls off to various areas of the salon where they would give them individual treatment.

Over an hour later, the girls were all done. Emma's hair was done in an updo with the bun curled in tight ringlets, several tendrils of hair framing either side of her face and a fresh white gardenia blossom pinned behind her left ear. Quinn, Santana, Melanie and Rachel all had their hair done in an elegant French twist, a Calla lily tucked behind their left ears. After they left the salon, they went off to one of the hotel's restaurants to have breakfast.

* * *

Will sat at the edge of the bed in the room he shared with his parents, drinking the last of the glass of orange juice that came with the breakfast he was served by room service. Today, he was getting married, but this time for the right reasons. Because Emma made him happy. His father, Don, had just got up and sat beside his son on the bed.

"Nervous?" he asked.

"Just a little," Will confessed. "I mean, it's my second marriage in six years. But I truly believe that Emma is the one that I want to spend the rest of my life with." He felt the strong arm of his father around him, a gesture that told him everything was going to be all right.

"I'm going to let you in on something," Don said, "and it is with all honesty that I say this. You and Terri had no chemistry. Call it father's instinct, I could see that you were very uneasy around her and that she always seemed unenthusiastic when you shared your interests and passions – especially after you took over the glee club. Then I see you with Emma, and you're a whole different person. She's a wonderful girl and a perfect match for you, you really do seem to care for her a lot."

"Absolutely," replied Will. "She has done more for me than you will ever know. If she hadn't found that video of the 1993 glee club and shown it to me, I would have been stuck with Terri and have had to give up my dreams of teaching and motivating my students. She also told me that the only life worth living was one I'm truly passionate about. It was those words that made me realize that this was what I was meant to do for the rest of my life. I owe all of this to her."

"If she means that much to you," his father said, "then you're making the right choice. Emma is going to be a wonderful addition to the family." As Don hugged his son, there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, Mr. Schu?" called Finn from the other side of the door. "It's time to get ready for the wedding, we're meeting in Artie's room."

"I'll be right there, Finn," Will called back. "Thanks, Dad." He went over to the closet and took down the garment bag that contained his tuxedo, then opened the door and went to join Finn in the hallway.

* * *

One floor below Will and the guys, the glee girls had gathered in Mercedes' room to help get Emma ready for the wedding. Melanie, Rachel, Santana and Quinn were already in their bridesmaid dresses attending to Emma while Mercedes did her makeup. Emma felt beautiful in the wedding dress as Santana slipped the crystal and pearl necklace she helped pick out around the bride's neck, crystal and pearl drops dangling from her ears.

"My baby girl," Susan Pillsbury said as she looked at her daughter getting ready, already dressed in her mauve mother-of-the-bride outfit. "Will means so much to you, doesn't he?"

"More than you'll ever know," Emma said as Mercedes finished with her makeup. "We've learned so much about each other over the past couple of years and we deeply care about one another very much. He is the kind of person that will always make you feel safe and happy when he's around you, and I respect him greatly."

"He is a wonderful man," her mother added. "As long as he makes you happy, that's all that matters in this world." She watched as Emma stood up to pose for pictures, first with her mother, then with her bridesmaids, and finally with the girls of the glee club, all taken by Emma's brother-in-law David. A knock at the door stopped the proceedings, and Mercedes went to answer it. In the hallway stood Emma's father Ed and brother Ryan, both in their tuxedos.

"It's time," said Ryan. "They're ready to start." Susan, Tina, Mercedes and Brittany went off with Ryan and David, leaving Emma alone with her bridesmaids and her father. Melanie handed her little sister her bouquet as her father held onto her arm.

"Ready?" Ed asked his daughter.

"I'm ready," replied Emma.

* * *

The sun was shining brightly, casting sparkles of light on the waters of the Seven Seas Lagoon outside the hotel. A white carpet was rolled down the center of the aisle on the beach, a flower arbor decorated in orchids, lilies and cherry blossoms standing at the end. Members of both the Schuester and Pillsbury families who had flown in from all over the country, as well as the remaining glee club members and their families and Principal Figgins, occupied the rows of white folding chairs on both sides of the aisle. Off to the right side of the arbor were members of the string section of the McKinley High band, playing soft music as everyone waited for the ceremony to begin. The minister in charge of the ceremony, Reverend Charles Pritchard, had flown in from Richmond, Virginia especially for the occasion – he was a close friend of the Pillsbury family, he had baptized Melanie, Ryan and Emma. Emma and Will felt it was only right for him to preside over their wedding.

At two o'clock, the musicians began to play. Will, accompanied by his parents Don and Linda, walked down the aisle. They both hugged him before taking their seats in the front row, Puck, Matt and Mike just behind them. Then Finn walked down the aisle as the best man, followed by Kurt, Dan and Artie. They stood in a line on the left side of the arbor, Finn giving his teacher a small pat on the back for good luck.

The music changed again as Melanie began her walk down the aisle as the maid of honor. She was followed by Rachel, Santana and Quinn, each carrying a small bouquet of yellow orchids, white lilies and pink roses. They took their places opposite the boys, Will standing in the middle with the minister. Then as the traditional wedding march music began to play, Emma appeared at the top of the carpet, her father by her side. The guests all stood to welcome her as she floated down the aisle, the long skirt of her dress gliding behind her, the crystal parts of her jewelry sparkling in the sunlight. Will smiled as she continued her walk down the aisle, she looked so beautiful and so happy. When she reached the end, Ed kissed his youngest daughter and gave her to Will, then sat down in his seat beside Susan and in front of Brittany, Tina and Mercedes. Holding hands, Emma and Will faced the minister as the music came to an end.

"Dearly beloved," began Reverend Pritchard, "we are gathered here on this most joyous occasion to join William and Emma in holy matrimony. They have invited you, their families, friends and colleagues, to bear witness to this ceremony. Marriage is a sacred bond between two people who love and cherish one another, and are ready to commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives." He went on a little longer with his opening statements.

"Instead of the traditional vows," the minister said, "both Emma and Will have decided to say their own vows to each other." The couple turned to face one another, and taking her hands in his, Will said his vows first.

"Emma," he said, "since the first day I met you, I knew I had fallen in love with you. And despite the fact that I was still with Terri, I couldn't stop loving you. We've had quite a ride together, both in good times and in bad, and you have always been there for me when I needed advice. There is no other person in this world that I would rather spend the rest of my life with than you. You will always have a friend in me, forever and always."

"I feel the same way about you, Will," Emma replied, a tear falling down her cheek. "I knew that I was in love with you the day you scraped the gum off my shoe. You were there for me when nobody else would, you are kind, caring and wonderful to be around. We may have had our struggles, but you had always been the one that I would love forever. I love you with all of my heart, Will, and I know that you love me too. I promise to always love and cherish you no matter what life may have in store for us." After the two finished, Finn reached into his pockets for the rings and gave them to the minister, who in turn gave one each to Emma and Will after blessing them.

"Rings have always been a symbol of promise," he said to the assembled guests, "they are a token of love and devotion towards one another. Will, I would like you to place the ring on Emma's finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a pledge of my love."

"I give you this ring as a pledge of my love," Will repeated, sliding the simple band of gold onto Emma's finger.

"Now Emma, I would like you to do the same thing," said the minister. "Place the ring on Will's finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a pledge of my love."

"I give you this ring as a pledge of my love," said Emma through her tears, as she gently placed the ring on Will's finger. She looked up at him and smiled.

"By placing the rings on each other's hands and pledging your love to one another," said the minister, "you have created a bond between the two of you that will last for the rest of your lives. Cherish it, and each other. And so, by the power vested in me by the states of Ohio, Virginia and Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"Oh Will, I love you so much!" cried Emma as she threw her arms around him and gave him the sweetest kiss in the history of kisses as the crowd of their friends and families cheered – the members of the glee club in the crowd giving them a standing ovation.

"I love you too, Em," said Will sweetly. He took her hand as the two turned to face the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Reverent Pritchard. "It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. William Schuester." The crowd was on its feet cheering as Emma and Will started their walk up the aisle, their families and friends throwing rose petals in celebration.

"Way to go, Mr. Schue!" called Puck as they passed. Mike and Matt both let out loud whistles. On the girls' side, Tina dabbed her eyes with a tissue, Mercedes gave them a fist pump, and Brittany cheered loudly.

When Will and Emma first met, they were just co-workers at McKinley High School. Today, they were celebrating the start of a new life together, a love that would last forever.


End file.
